Keith Whiting is the founder of www.DreamsAndLullabies.com a website devoted to children’s lullabies, baby songs and nursery rhymes. Read other articles and Sign Up for a Free Monthly Newsletter filled with important information and valuable advice on healthcare, sleep problems, nutrition, parenting, etc.
“Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast”. And baby songs, classical music and other gentle melodies can soothe sick babies and speed healing.
A three-year study by the University of Western Sydney in collaboration with the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne found that playing baby songs including lullabies, light classical, and New Age melodies, to sick babies in intensive care helped calm and sustain their behavior while babies who did not have the therapy deteriorated noticeably, coping less well with their hospitalization.
40 infants were divided into groups: the first group received music therapy while in hospital the second group received no music therapy.
The first group had up to 12 sessions with a therapist singing baby songs to them. Researchers found these infants maintained the same levels of irritability and crying they had at admission.
The second group, who did not have any music therapy, showed an increase in crying and irritability as time went on.
Babies who are less irritable use less energy, which has implications for the rate of healing and weight gain which leads to shorter hospital stays.
Another study at the Yale School of Medicine showed that adult surgery patients who listened to music required much less sedation. And a 1999 study found that listening to music after surgery can reduce post-operative pain.
And everyone has experienced the power of music to create mood and feeling, you hear a sad song that immediately reminds you of a lost love, an up-tempo song from your teenage years plays on the car radio and you start driving faster, a haunting melody brings a lump to your throat, and patriotic songs inspire people to fight for their country.
Many hospitals play baby songs and classical music in their neonatal and pediatric units in order to provide a calming, healing, and soothing environment for the babies. And in Florida, all state funded pre-schools are required to play classical music to the children by law!
In every culture and every country mothers sing to their babies to help calm them and lull them to sleep (hence the word lullaby).
Babies are great listeners and are extremely attentive to their acoustical environment so search out the best baby songs, lullabies and other calming music you can find. If you can find music that you enjoy as well as your baby, it will not only help maintain your baby’s health and speed healing if your baby is sick, but it will also help keep your own blood pressure down at the same time.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- 6 Simple and Easy Ways you Can Help Baby Sleep
- Relaxing Your Baby Through Music
- Lullabies, Insomnia and Brain Waves
- Help Baby Sleep With Music
- 93% of Parents Say Music Helps Solve Baby Sleep Problems
- Baby Songs Help Heal Sick Babies
- Unique and Personal Baby Shower Themes
- Three Ways to Get Baby to Sleep
Words Can Draw A Picture When It Comes to Baby Showers
By: Marlin Russell | 08/12/2009A mortal consume can in more structure, be equal a bunting. There genuinely are no two showers like. Are you going to go with a type tune? Something siamese to 'Mike and Kate plan to resound off into adulthood, help them fete!' understandably says the thought of the band (as want as there is an related representation of both soft of grapheme entity) and it says why the band is state thrown. 'We're celebrating the alteration of teenaged Christopher doctor on the farm!' evidently illus...
There are several things you can do to go about child proofing your home
By: Paul Ingersole | 08/12/2009Another thing to do when childproofing your home is to make sure that all unused electrical outlets are covered. The last thing you want to do is end up with an experimental child who finds a knife or fork and ends up sticking it in the outlet. This can cause electrocution which can easily kill. To prevent this from happening, covering the outlets with special covers is a good idea.
Child proof locks are an essential part of making your home safe for children
By: Paul Ingersole | 08/12/2009Once you buy the child proof locks your next step is to install them. For this you will need to follow the package instructions. Since each lock is made differently, there will be specific instructions devoted to that product.
Words Can Paint A Picture When It Comes to Baby Showers
By: Marlin Russell | 08/12/2009A babe rain can in numerous ways, be same a snowflake. There genuinely are no two showers similar. Are you achievement to go with a place theme? Something siamese to 'Mike and Kate counselling to bomb off into adulthood, aid them keep!' clearly says the line of the organisation (as tall as there is an attendant interpret of both good of type objective) and it says why the lot is beingness thrown. 'We're celebrating the kinship of physicist Christopher medico on the farm!' manifestly ...
Enjoy The Family Time With Cheap Toys
By: Terro White | 08/12/2009Family time is the most precious time for many. We all run behind our jobs and money all day round and when we return back to our home, we find ourselves wrapped up in home chores. But we must take out some time to be with family and children.
Indoor Board Games For Enhancing The Concentration Of Your Kids
By: Terro White | 08/12/2009Many parents keep complaining about the inability of their child to concentrate on a particular thing. This makes them quite frustrated and they keep searching for various ways to improve the concentration of their children. Some go really nasty and make their children undergo varied treatment plans without appreciating their need of freedom.
What Are The Popular Kids’ Toys Available Today?
By: Terro White | 08/12/2009Toys are said to be the means of expression for the kids. Understanding this, many toy manufacturers are manufacturing kids’ toys that give them discrete ability to express themselves positively and built a bright future. What else do we want?
Get Marvelous Children’s Toys For Your Kids Online!
By: Terro White | 08/12/2009Toys are one of the most cherished items needed to fill the children’s world with fun and energy. On and off holidays, children love to play with the toys they have at home. Today many children have separate rooms for their toys and they enjoy being there and roam in the fairy tale world.
Children’s Nursery Rhymes Teach Language and Counting Skills
By: Keith Whiting | 12/06/2008 | BabiesNursery Rhymes have been taught to children for hundreds of years, with many dating from the Middle Ages. They are the earliest educational tools that children use for learning language and counting skills. Additionally they combine movement and music teaching kids rhythm and melody.
Does Baby Music Have to be Childish?
By: Keith Whiting | 12/06/2008 | BabiesShould you only play baby music and lullabies like Twinkle Twinkle to your baby or should you play Tchaikovsky?
Baby Songs Help Heal Sick Babies
By: Keith Whiting | 11/06/2008 | Babies“Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast”. And baby songs, classical music and other gentle melodies can soothe sick babies and speed healing.
93% of Parents Say Music Helps Solve Baby Sleep Problems
By: Keith Whiting | 09/06/2008 | BabiesAlmost every new parent has experienced the frustration of trying to get a fussy baby to sleep. For some it is an occasional problem for others it is a constant nightmare. You spend hours trying to get your baby to sleep, only to find, a few hours later they are awake and crying.